CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee today launched a website to educate Tennessee consumers and others on what a health insurance exchange may mean for them as part of health care reform.

The site has easy-to-understand information about exchanges, with pages geared toward individuals, employers, health care providers and insurance brokers. The address of the site is: www.BCBSTexchange.com.

“Open enrollment for coverage on the exchange is October, 2013, so people are starting to ask, what is the exchange, how does it work and how does it affect me,” said Michael Eiselstein, BlueCross’ director of individual products. “In a nutshell, an exchange is an online marketplace for people to search, compare and apply for health coverage. This website has information about eligibility for coverage, premium subsidies, Medicaid expansion and much more.”

Health insurance exchanges are a key component of the federal health care reform law passed in 2010. Many operational details regarding exchanges have yet to be decided by federal and state officials. The BlueCross exchange website spells out in simple terms what is currently known and will be updated frequently as plans for a Tennessee exchange take shape.

About BlueCross

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee's mission is to provide its customers and communities with peace of mind through affordable solutions for health and healing, life and living. Founded in 1945, the Chattanooga-based company is focused on reinventing the health plan for its 3 million members in Tennessee and across the country. Through its integrated health management approach, BlueCross provides patient-centric products and services that drive health improvement and positively impact health care quality and value. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Inc. is an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association. For more information, visit the company's website at www.bcbst.com.